Did you know that Goodwill’s mission is “to provide job-related services and opportunities for people with barriers to employment”? The dictionary description for the noun ‘goodwill’ is: friendly disposition; benevolence; kindness. Goodwill is synonymous with friendliness or favor. Goodwill is a kind act.

Goodwill was founded in Boston in 1902 by a Methodist minister, Rev. Edgar J. Helms. His idea was to collect used household items and clothing from the wealthier parts of town and hire and train the poor to make the repairs and either resell them or let the poor keep them. Dr. Helms’ philosophy was to create “a hand up, not a hand out”. Goodwill has expanded since then to over 180 cities in the United States and to over 30 foreign countries. Goodwill has become a multi-billion dollar non-profit organization.

The Goodwill stores maintain the same philosophy of helping disadvantaged people to gain meaningful employment and become independent; however, each store is able to respond to the needs of the particular community where the store is located.

Goodwill Industries of Central Texas is a private non-profit organization that was established in Austin in 1958 with the mission of providing job-related services to people with barriers to employment. Goodwill works with several other human services agencies to provide the best support system for people with disabilities and those with disadvantaged conditions that are seeking employment. More than 450 people in the Central Texas area are able to benefit from the Goodwill program each day.

If you would like to share in Dr. Helms’ philosophy of “a hand up, not a hand out” and to show your ‘kindness’, be sure to donate any unwanted household items or clothing to a local Goodwill store.